A compromise between the city and the Federal Aviation Administration will help keep Lubbock skies clear for commercial aircraft flying into the Lubbock International Airport.

City officials had been concerned that the creation of a military operations area, or MOA, to the west of Lubbock would pose an obstacle for both commercial and private aircraft coming to Lubbock from that direction. When Reese Air Force Base closed last year, the Air Force proposed giving Cannon AFB in Clovis, N.M., use of the military airspace once used by Reese pilots.

The proposal would have created a large obstacle for commercial aircraft, forcing lengthy diversions to the north and south to avoid the military air zones. But the agreement announced Wednesday resolves the conflict by creating a corridor for commercial aircraft flying in and out of Lubbock. It also will raise the altitude of the MOA to 10,000 feet, giving both commercial and private aircraft more room to maneuver.

During a news conference announcing the agreement, Mayor Pro Tem Alex ''Ty'' Cooke praised U.S. Rep. Larry Combest, R-Lubbock, for using his influence in the House to help broker the agreement.

''This could have been a hindrance to private air traffic,'' Cooke said. ''But we were able to come to a great accommodation with the help of Larry Combest.''

Combest stressed the importance of LIA to the future growth of Lubbock and said the agreement that was worked out will be beneficial to everyone involved. He noted that the agreement also will extend LIA's control over air traffic in the region and make it more likely that the airport will maintain its 24-hour tower service.

''In preserving safety for private aircraft and access for our commercial airspace, we have also strengthened the Lubbock tower's case for remaining open 24 hours daily,'' Combest said.

The reduced air traffic resulting from the closure of Reese had raised the possibility that the FAA might cut back on the operational hours of its radar tower at LIA.